Every day we have a choice. We can support an up and coming podcaster, try a new family-run restaurant, join a boutique gym started by a local fitness champ or we could keep giving away our money to the handful of giants who already control so much of our commerce. Our daily decisions impact the kind world we live in; if we want a world where small businesses are growing and artists and creatives are thriving then we should support them with our time, money and attention. We’re proud to highlight inspiring creatives and entrepreneurs each week in Hidden Gems series. Check out some of our latest local gem features below.
Ruby Red
I started creating content in 2015 while working as a shoe buyer, a career I had from 2011 to 2021. What began as a creative outlet alongside my career eventually grew into a community and became my full-time focus. I originally started in fashion and lifestyle, and as a curvy/plus-size creator, body positivity naturally became an important part of my platform. Read more>>
Mario Monstree
As a young writer in elementary school, I quickly found a deep appreciation for music with the likes of Evanescence, Britney Spears & Linkin Park at my fingertips. I was obsessed with the concept of putting bodies of musical work into an album which essentially is an auditory experience of a book or a fantasy. Read more>>
Matt Hitzhusen
Fitness has been one of the organizing forces in my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up playing sports, but what stayed with me was never just the competition. Training gave me structure. It taught me patience, discipline, and the value of doing difficult things repeatedly—even when nobody was watching and the results weren’t immediate. Read more>>
DePhane Weaver
I have always been a gardener or have had some kind of plant for as long as I can remember. Living sustainable and gardening naturally go together & I love to share my knowledge and what I have laying around. Once I found out about the LFL’S I was inspired by the concept and wanted to do the same with all things gardening. Read more>>
Tracy Hotchkiss
I think my story really started when my father brought home an old PC from work. It had IBM on the front, took floppy disks, and I was fascinated by it. Read more>>
Colton Kingery
I got into menswear in 2018, and what started as a job quickly became something I genuinely fell in love with. I’ve always enjoyed working with people, and menswear gave me a unique opportunity to combine that with style, confidence, and helping people feel their best. Read more>>
Alyssa Jurkota
Growing up, I was always introspective and creative, seeking various things to make me feel like I belonged when I always felt a little different than those around me. I gravitated towards learning more about many diverse spiritual paths and practices to find what felt aligned with my innate empathy and highly sensitive nature. Read more>>
Suzanne Rugg
I’ve always been drawn to the way creativity can shape how people feel, whether through art or the spaces they live in. After earning my degree in Visual Arts and Design from San Diego State University, I worked in several creative roles, including graphic design, corporate interiors, custom closet design, advertising, and even children’s fashion. Read more>>
Mark Denicola
I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. I earned my Bachelor of Science from the University of Cincinnati and got into sales. I may be showing my age, but I saw a newspaper ad for a mortgage loan officer at a small bank in Cincinnati. I was working in the cellular industry and wanted a change. Read more>>
Kathie Scrimgeour
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, where art became my refuge from an early age. Throughout my school years, I eagerly embraced every opportunity for creative expression, filling my time with drawing, painting, and endless doodling. At 18, I began a lifelong journey of exploration across the United States. Read more>>
Candie Castillo
My journey into holistic wellness wasn’t something I had completely mapped out—it unfolded as I did. I’ve always been a creative person, deeply intuitive and curious about energy, frequency, and the connection between our physical, emotional, and energetic well-being. Read more>>
DJ Benz
I began my journey with a simple passion for the turntables in college. I watched DJs on campus and on Youtube, which led me to do college parties in my apartment. Then in Philly, I was doing events with DJ Spontane, a well-known DJ in the city. I ended up doing the biggest clubs, some of the biggest events and started to travel. Read more>>
Sonido Reyes
When I was in high school and even college, I never thought I would be a writer. I actually had a pretty low reading comprehension for my age, and I read much slower than my peers. Read more>>
AK and Rick Coffey
Our story with Dance Fitness Tempe begins with how we met. We met in 2021 at the dance studio where Rick was volunteering. AK was attending a class that Rick was doing videography for, and neither of us could have known that we were meeting the person we would eventually marry. Read more>>
Carly Langman
Harvested Creations began in the middle of 2024, during a period of transition in my life when I had the opportunity to step away somewhat from my existing career and think about what I wanted to do next. I was fortunate to have time to explore the things that genuinely interested and inspired me. Read more>>
Bruce Weber
My journey began in the technology sector working for Fortune 50 companies Microsoft and Hewlett Packard. I held various management positions with a worldwide emphasis on partnerships. That working together with others to create success became the foundation for the creation of my boutique management consulting firm the Weber Group. Read more>>
Reetu DeLeon
I’ve always been interested in relationships, not just what happens between people, but the stories, families, cultures, and experiences that shape how we show up with one another. I earned my master’s in social work from NYU and began my career in New York City, where I spent many years working with individuals, couples, and families. Read more>>
Jah Harris
My peer group was the catalyst for everything that I’ve involved myself in professionally. Being a creative never had a starting point, it’s what I’ve always been, however, I don’t know if I would have found it as easily and as early as I did without my friend group. Read more>>
Krista Pagan
I was born and raised on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Throughout my youth, I was always drawn to many art mediums(resin, painting, and even ceramics). When I was 13, one of my aunts gifted me an old 35mm film camera that I soon after carried with me wherever I went! Read more>>
Dominique La Vie
I was born and raised in Anchorage Alaska, but my career started in Arizona, where I went to hair school and discovered my gift. I moved to Maryland and that’s where the entrepreneur in me truly came alive. I built a real clientele, learned how to brand myself, and proved that my talent could thrive anywhere. Read more>>
Kerri Barnes
I started collecting crystals in 2016. I participated in a vending event in the summer of 2017 and it was so successful, I decided to try and start a business. I really focused my mission on high-quality crystals at reasonable prices. I have extensive customer service in my work experience and I wanted excellent customer service to be a trademark of my business. Read more>>
Samantha Melendez McManus
My story really started with realizing that the life that looked good on paper didn’t necessarily feel good to live. Before becoming a certified coach, I spent nearly a decade working in communications, PR, media, and marketing. I was doing all the things I thought I was “supposed to be doing” to build a successful life. Read more>>
Steven & Alisha Palm
Steve started the business in 1990. He has photographed thousands of models for all of the top agencies. Steve was on his way to moving from Chicago to LA when he was booked for a celebrity event in June of 2010. Alisha was also booked for the same event. They met and the rest, as they say, is history! Read more>>
Tina Newton
Safety Babes Keychains began with one simple belief: everyone deserves access to real, reliable safety tools without the inflated price tag. When I first started researching what was available, I was shocked by how many businesses were charging premium prices for products that weren’t built to last. I knew people deserved better — and I knew I could create it. Read more>>
Adria Somerville
I started my business in May of 2020 in Tucson, AZ, in the middle of the pandemic. I did what most people would advise against actually – I quit my full-time job and said ‘I think I’m going to start a business.’ I had very little savings and a huge dream. Read more>>
Joseph D. Newcomer (of Dead Star Press)
I am an author and the owner of an independent publishing company called Dead Star Press. After years of writing, submissions, and self-publishing, I received an offer on one of my speculative sci-fi, social commentary novels. Read more>>
Bianca Ascencio
I’ve always been a creative person. Whether it was remodeling a kitchen, creating a floral arrangement, decorating a party, or designing something from scratch, I’ve always been the person my family and friends called when something creative needed to be done. Read more>>
Courtney Yancy
I’m originally from the New York/New Jersey area, and I was raised with a strong work ethic and the belief that you work hard for what you want. I’m also a wife and a proud mother of two beautiful girls. Read more>>
Kellie Carlton
I have been in the fitness industry for 34 years and have been a full time trainer for 26 years and have trained 4300 clients from age 9 to 94. I can train all ages but work primarily with the 50 and over age group doing corrective exercise and allowing my clients to regain their balance and live a healthy and active lifestyle. Read more>>
Thai Ngo
My photography journey began back in 2014 when I started out taking portraits. I loved capturing people, but my business completely shifted directions when a friend asked me to shoot photos for his Airbnb. Stepping into that property changed everything. I fell in love with real estate media right away and realized how much I enjoyed bringing spaces to life through photo and video. Read more>>
Cass McVety
I’m happily retired from corporate enjoying art career now. I have a BS degree in art and psychology from NYU which took me 8 years at night (I worked at a graduate school and so got free tuition). I raised 3 children (their father died young) on my own by having to work a lot in the administration of legal departments. Read more>>
McKenna Ring
I’ve been creating art since I was a child, and I have always aspired to work as an artist of some sort. I’ve tried many different media, from watercolor to graphite to acrylic paint to digital art, and I went to college for fine arts, but I have always had a hard time figuring out what I want my work to say. Read more>>
BBgail
Becoming BBgail has been a journey. I grew up in a family full of musicians and have been performing on stages since I was 3 years old… but it’s taken nearly 30 years to figure out who I am as a creative. I went to college for musical theatre but quickly realized that wasn’t the avenue I wanted to go down. Read more>>
Karen Monique
My journey into matchmaking really started with something I’ve always naturally done—bringing people together. My background is in project management, marketing, events, and relationship-building, so connecting people and creating meaningful experiences has always been part of who I am. Read more>>
Steven Leganski
Back in 2020, my partner Taylor Kirkman and I were sent to work from home during the pandemic, and we tried roasting coffee as a hobby. It actually turned out really well, and we started roasting coffee and selling it at a local farmer’s market. Read more>>
Aileen Judson
I think my story starts like it does for us all – unwittingly, in childhood. I am the youngest of a large-ish farming family. In many ways it was idyllic, loving, and fun, and in other ways there was a good deal of family drama, along with accidents, injuries, and traumas that have shaped the rest of my life, both personally and professionally. Read more>>
Ariel Nadelberg
I’m a third-generation Brooklynite whose grandfather sold hot dogs on the Coney Island boardwalk. I was doing book reports about food in grade school and selling ice cream at Brooklyn Botanic Garden before I understood that food would become my life’s work. Years later, I returned to run the Garden’s café. Read more>>
Robert Goldman
My interest in art began around age eight with encouragement from my parents and siblings. My mother who was an artist was my first inspiration along with my older brother Dana and my sister Shila who was always supportive, and of course I have shared many art experiences with my younger brother Ken. Ken and I later worked together painting murals in San Diego. Read more>>
Ben Harper
My career has taken a slightly unconventional path. I started out in law enforcement analysis in the UK, which gave me a strong foundation in discipline, resilience, and problem-solving. From there, I made the leap into entrepreneurship and built a marketing company that was ultimately acquired. Read more>>
Jose Ontiveros
Drawing influence from Drumcode, Codex, and Mau5trap, J.LUPE is carving out his own lane in Peak-Time Techno. He’s shared stages with artists like Green Velvet, Layton Giordani, and CamelPhat, Sparteque and recently hit a major milestone with a release on Berlin Records. Through his label HiveTek Records, he’s building toward an international presence—delivering high-energy, inclusive sets driven by movement, passion, and pure escapism. Read more>>
Michael Poindexter
I’m an author and artist, I began writing a novel years ago and after 5-6 chapters I stopped. It would be years again, before I came back to it and this time I decided I wanted to adapt the novel into a comic series, thus ‘Rabbit’ was born. I created character bio’s and lore. Read more>>
Krista Manus
I always enjoyed taking photos as a kid (back in the film days!) and loved dropping off a roll of film with some random snaps. When I was an adult, I was participating in triathlons and mountain bike events and, honestly, was a little shocked by the price of photos of me gasping for air. Read more>>
Mitra Kamali
I was born with a gift for art. When I was only three years old, I started to draw. As I grew up, I also loved math and science. I went to college and became a petroleum engineer. But my passion for art never left me. I wanted to combine my two worlds. So, I used my engineering background to create something new. Read more>>
Chris Yen
I started making films when I was six years old in San Jose, long before I understood that it could become a career. My parents came to America as Vietnamese refugees and rebuilt their lives from nothing. My mother became a software engineer, while my father’s path ran through gambling and the street economy. Read more>>
Diane Wingerson
When I wrote my first children’s book, Gary Greenbird Learns To Fly, I had just retired. It took me an hour and a half to write my first draft. The inspiration for my book is my grandson. He is on the autism spectrum. At the time, he was starting pre-school. Everything was new and scary. Things like fire drills terrified him. Read more>>
Jen Stone
My journey has been anything but linear, but when I look back, there’s actually been a consistent thread running through it: I’ve always been fascinated by people, personal growth, and understanding what helps us thrive. I started my career in the corporate world, where I spent about 12 years working in forensics and audit. Read more>>
Tracy Ann Battaglia
I’m Tracy Ann Battaglia, founder of The Fully Alive Agency — a full-service creative and business development agency that helps entrepreneurs launch, refine, and scale their small businesses, all under one roof. But I didn’t start as an agency — I started with a camera. Read more>>
